Overview

“A house of wonders itself. . . . Wonderland inspires grins and well-what-d'ya-knows” —The New York Times Book Review From the New York Times–bestselling author of How We Got to Now and Extra Life, a look at the world-changing innovations we made while keeping ourselves entertained. This lushly illustrated history of popular entertainment takes a long-zoom approach, contending that the pursuit of novelty and wonder is a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. Steven Johnson argues that, throughout history, the cutting edge of innovation lies wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves and others amused.    Johnson’s storytelling is just as delightful as the inventions he describes, full of surprising stops along the journey from simple concepts to complex modern systems. He introduces us to the colorful innovators of leisure: the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who changed the trajectory of history with their luxurious wares, exotic meals, taverns, gambling tables, and magic shows.     In Wonderland, Johnson compellingly argues that observers of technological and social trends should be looking for clues in novel amusements. You’ll find the future wherever people are having the most fun.

Full Product Details

9780399184482

Table of Contents

Reviews

Johnson . . . provides a compelling counterintuitive argument that the Industrial Revolution, democracy, and the computer age were all driven by diversions and appetites that historians too often ignore. <i>Kirkus </i>(starred review) This is a great book for all curious readers, especially the history-averse, who will enjoy the fast pace, topical diversity, and abundant trivia. <i>Booklist </i>(starred review) An engaging survey full of unexpected connections that readers of a historical or sociological bent will find particularly riveting. <i>Library Journal</i><b> Praise for<i>How We Got to Now</i> </b> [Johnson s] point is simple, important and well-timed: During periods of rapid innovation, there is always tumult as citizens try to make sense of it. . . . Johnson is an engaging writer, and he takes very complicated and disparate subjects and makes their evolution understandable. <i>The Washington Post</i> An unbelievable book . . . it s an innovative way to talk about history. Jon Stewart What makes this book such a mind-expanding read is Johnson s ability to appreciate human advancement as a vast network of influence, rather than a simple chain of one invention leading to another, and the result is nothing less than a celebration of the human mind. <i>The Daily Beast</i> The reader of <i>How We Got to Now</i> cannot fail to be impressed by human ingenuity, including Johnson s, in determining these often labyrinthine but staggeringly powerful developments of one thing to the next. <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i> <b>Praise for<i>Where Good Ideas Come From</i> </b> Brilliant . . . Johnson is an exemplar of the post-categorical age. . . . The long zoom approach gives Johnson s book power, makes it a tool for understanding where we stand today, and makes it satisfying. <i>New York Times Book Review</i> A vision of innovation and ideas that is resolutely social, dynamic, and material . . . Fluidly written, entertaining, and smart without being arcane. <i>Los Angeles Times</i>

Praise for How We Got to Now [Johnson s] point is simple, important and well-timed: During periods of rapid innovation, there is always tumult as citizens try to make sense of it. . . . Johnson is an engaging writer, and he takes very complicated and disparate subjects and makes their evolution understandable. The Washington Post An unbelievable book . . . it s an innovative way to talk about history. Jon Stewart What makes this book such a mind-expanding read is Johnson s ability to appreciate human advancement as a vast network of influence, rather than a simple chain of one invention leading to another, and the result is nothing less than a celebration of the human mind. The Daily Beast The reader of How We Got to Now cannot fail to be impressed by human ingenuity, including Johnson s, in determining these often labyrinthine but staggeringly powerful developments of one thing to the next. San Francisco Chronicle Praise for Where Good Ideas Come From Brilliant . . . Johnson is an exemplar of the post-categorical age. . . . The long zoom approach gives Johnson s book power, makes it a tool for understanding where we stand today, and makes it satisfying. New York Times Book Review A vision of innovation and ideas that is resolutely social, dynamic, and material . . . Fluidly written, entertaining, and smart without being arcane. Los Angeles Times

Author Information

Steven Johnson is the bestselling author of thirteen books, including Where Good Ideas Come From, How We Got to Now, The Ghost Map, and Extra Life. He’s the host and cocreator of the Emmy-winning PBS/BBC series How We Got to Now, the host of the podcast The TED Interview, and the author of the newsletter Adjacent Possible. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and Marin County, California, with his wife and three sons.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available